Random books from my library.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Reaper Bones

The Mystery Box

For those of you who don't stray outside the Historical end of our hobby - this is going to be a somewhat dull post. Some time ago there was a miniatures company called Reaper. They've been producing miniatures for quite a while now. Their work always looks rather American to my eye, reminiscent of Larry Elmore fantasy covers, but they make very fine figures in that style. Myself, I'm more of a John Blanche and Frank Franzetta sort of chap.

But be that as it may - Reaper decided that they were going to produce some of their miniatures in plastic and floated a project on Kickstarter to raise funds. The campaign was ridiculously successful raising $3.4 million dollars. When it began the basic pledge offered approximately sixty figures for seventy dollars, but as the really big numbers began to arrive and the economies of scale began to kick in, that number shot up and up.

Savage is opening the mystery box

The end result was that Savage and I pledged about sixty quid each on one box of about two hundred and sixty figures. I'm not even sure what we'll do with half of them, but even for just the figures I wanted the Kickstarter was a good deal, so the extra figures are a bonus. Savage wanted the fantasy figures for a campaign he was thinking of running and I imagine we'll be giving some to friends.

...or at least he will after the gin and turpentine punch he had for breakfast wears off.

The box arrived at Savages house some time ago and with iron self control, he prevented himself from tearing it open right there and then. I can only presume he had been rendered temporarily unconscious in a hookah explosion and was unable to struggle free from the wreckage.

It's a magic box filled with miniatures

This thing weighed quite a bit, I shudder to think what it cost to post this lot. Everything was professionally packed and very well put together. There was something special in the big box on the right, but more about him later.

It doesn't look like much does it?

This box was absolutely stuffed with figures and there were some real crackers there. I realise that there aren't actually any pictures from that because Savage and I were too busy sitting on his living room floor opening bag of toy soldiers tossing them back and forth and thinking of things to do with them. I suspect some of very simple Dungeon Crawling game in Savages future, possibly with a combat system based on doing shots of Tequila.

I have only now just realised that this photo is upside down.

I am an idiot.

There were some extras - like this carry case. It holds 150 figures and is probably one of the best of the breed I've encountered. I have actually been considering getting a case for my Cold War figures because they don't work as well as Napoleonics in A4 document boxes. I think it's because they're singly based and don't spend their time in tightly packed ranks.

Great Cthulhu

This figure is bloody enormous. Nine inches tall gentlemen, he is absolutely huge and despite coming in several pieces fit together very well without any glue. I will definitely be writing a skirmish scenario based around this chap - Napoleonic Royal Marines versus Cthulhu.

Or Hornblower versus Cthulhu.

Wow - just wow.

Savage and I split the contents of the box. I took most of the Science Fiction figures while he took the Fantasy chaps. It was like Christmas morning - there were toy soldiers all over the floor. Savage seemed particularly taken with some of the giants, while my favourites were definitely the Cthulhu-oid monsters. I would have taken pictures, but it would have ruined the moment. It was a great time to spend with a friend.

I pulled this chap out tonight and decided to give him a lick of paint. The Reaper Bones plastic doesn't respond well to water, so it is best to either give them a quick undercoat or use undiluted paint for your base coat. This chap painted up reasonably well, though I want to try and put some sort of lightning design on the staff as it's a bit dull at present. The detail is good and there's not so much that you can't catch all of it. I was able to get him done in relatively short order - I started painting him while Mrs Kinch and I were watching "Die Hard", which turned out to be a serious mistake.

Mainly because these two kept talking during the exposition. It was a good thing we'd seen it before otherwise we would have been completely lost.

13 comments:

great looking bix of figures how Savage held off opening it I will never know he has a stronger will than me.If you think two cats make a lot of noise try 3 Scottie Dogs when some one dares to knock on our doorPeace James

Although I am prepared to read and enjoy Fantasy Literature, Fantasy wargaming is not my thing at all. For all that, I enjoyed reading this posting. The ... erm ... transports of joy upon receipt of a long awaited treasure trove - whatever the nature of the valuables - always makes pleasant reading and brings a smile to my otherwise lugubrious visage.

Unsound on Cthulhu, but. Tsk, tsk. I reckon you would need Nelson's entire Trafalgar fleet to take on Ol' Squidface, and even then my money, even unto my last shirt, would be on the green guy (bearing in mind gambling is not one of my vices or addictions). He's supposed to be one serious dude, yes?

I trust there are some Neolithic Super Trooper Guard Cuirassiers & Lancers in the parcel, with BIG Flags, that i can hurl at opponents without getting screamed at by panic-stricken CO in next round of C&C, hopefully at Gaelcon in OctA Great buy, love Savage's beaming smile and admire his patience before opening parcelAs for talking cats, and as you've met the infamous Cai (he's not impressed)you can appreciate the fear posties/deliverymen etc show when within 600 yards of his territorycheers Old John

I never panic!!! I just cry "Havoc and let loose the dogs of war" and charge anything within range, just ask my many steamrollered opponents, do the 1583th Space Eunuchs of the Guard have BIG Flags? if not, why not???cheers Old John